Kerosene laden HGV with no nuts on wheel stopped near A55 in North Wales

A lorry with no wheel nuts on one wheel was stopped near the A55 in North Wales

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A “SHOCKINGLY” defective HGV carrying corrosive and highly flammable goods was halted close to the A55.

The truck – laden with kerosene and hypochlorite – was pulled in for a check last week on the A494 at Deeside as it headed for Holyhead port.

Road chiefs targeted the vehicle because of the unusual way it was moving on the road and were shocked to discover one wheel on the trailer did not have a single wheel nut holding it in place.

“The only thing keeping the wheel on was the groove worn in to the hub,” said David Collings, area manager from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

“This shockingly defective vehicle could have caused a very serious accident. It could have resulted in serious injury and loss of life, and also disruption to a major route to Holyhead.”

All eight nuts on the wheel had been sheared off.

Mr Collings said: “This is something that would have happened over time so it is concerning this was not picked up.

“There is an obligation on a driver prior to any journey to carry out a daily walk about the vehicle to carry out basic checks to spot things like this.

“VOSA will conduct an immediate maintenance investigation of the company involved.”

An immediate mechanical prohibition notice was issued.

Hypochlorite compounds are usually regarded as unstable and can be corrosive and dangerous. Kerosene is a highly flammable oil.

Only last week the A55 was closed when a set of wheels became detached from a HGV.

Road charity Brake say that loose wheels on vehicles are like “bouncing bombs”.

They said: “If a wheel becomes detached at speed it can hit an oncoming vehicle or pedestrian with incredible force.

“It could also cause the vehicle which has lost the wheel to crash.

“It is estimated that ‘runaway’ wheels kill 8-10 people and injure many more each year in the UK.”

Earlier this month the Daily Post also revealed that police and officers from the Vehicle Operator Services Agency had seized 71 electromagnets from trucks in North Wales in the last year – the vast majority of which travelled along the A55 corridor.

Truckers are obliged by law to take frequent rests from long-distance driving. To make sure they stick to the rules, the movement of their vehicle is measured by the tachograph monitors.

But placing electromagnets on the gearbox disables the spy in the cab technology – allowing the drivers to flout the law. It also disables the anti-lock brakes, the speedometer and speed limiter, which stops lorries going above 60mph.

This has prompted safety fears about tired truckers on the expressway.